Brown Butter Gnocchi with Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale
Toasted gnocchi, butternut squash, kale and walnuts are all tossed together in the yummiest sage brown butter sauce. It's all surprisingly easy to make, and total autumn comfort food.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: gluten free, pasta, vegetarian
Servings: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
1tablespoonolive oil
3cupsdiced butternut squash
sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
1batch ricotta gnocchi (or a 1-pound package of store-bought gnocchicooked according to package instructions)
1/2cupunsalted buttercut into 8 pieces
20large fresh sage leaves
4clovesgarlicminced or very thinly sliced
2handfuls chopped fresh kale leavestough stems removed
1cupwalnut halves
lots of freshly-grated Parmesan cheesefor garnish
Instructions
Roast the butternut squash. Heat oven to 425°F. Place the diced squash on a large baking sheet, drizzle evenly with oil, then toss until combined. Arrange the squash in an even layer on the baking sheet, season with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Then roast for 30 minutes, or until the squash is completely tender inside. (Cooking time will entirely depend on the size of your squash, so keep a close eye on it.)
Cook the gnocchi. Meanwhile, prepare and cook the ricotta gnocchi according to recipe instructions. (Or cook the store-bought gnocchi according to package instructions.) Drain and set aside.
Prepare the sage brown butter sauce. Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has nearly melted, add in the sage leaves. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously, until the butter has turned a light golden color and the sage leaves are crispy. (Keep a very close eye on the butter so that it does not burn!) Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
Put everything together. Then immediately add the cooked gnocchi to the brown butter sauce, and toss until it is evenly coated. Let the gnocchi rest and continue to cook for about 2 minutes, or until the gnocchi is golden and toasty on the bottom side. Then give it a flip, and cook for 1-2 minutes on the second side until golden. Stir in the kale, walnuts, roasted butternut squash, and toss to combine.
Serve. Remove from heat, taste, and season with extra salt and pepper if needed. Then serve warm, garnished with lots and lots of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Storage instructions: Leftover gnocchi can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.